HC Deb 27 October 1975 vol 898 cc322-4W
34. Mr Arthur Latham

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will undertake to publish all the advice available to him in connection with the treatment of nuclear waste material from abroad and the dumping of such material after it has been treated.

Mr. Eadie

The Government are considering whether it would be acceptable to take further contracts for the reprocessing here of irradiated nuclear fuel from overseas. When the Government have arrived at their decision, my right hon. Friend will, of course, make an explanatory statement. It would not, however, be right to publish the advice that has been given by the Departments concerned on the many aspects of this problem.

Mr. George Grant

asked the Secretary of State for Energy (1) how many coal-fired power stations have been closed in each of the last 10 years;

(2) how many new coal-fired power stations have come into production in each of the last 10 years.

Mr. Eadie

I am informed by the CEGB that during the last 10 years a total of 4040 megawatts of coal-fired capacity has been closed. In the same period 20685 megawatts of new coal-fired

(a) Coal-fired power-stations closed over last 10 years

Year Stations Sections of stations Output capacity of stations Output capacity of sections Total* coal closures Total* closures
(M W) (M W) (M W) (M W)
1965/66 6 1 76 18 131 158
1966/67 4 55 165 231
1967/68 14 5 248 123 483 484
1968/69 7 4 178 62 575 760
1969/70 7 2 221 31 431 555
1970/71 3 2 152 51 351 543
1971/72 3 1 136 20 198 334
1972/73 8 2 425 42 559 561
1973/74 4 2 156 70 403 439
1974/75 1 1 228 99 744 746
* This figure includes individual sets which were scrapped at stations, but which do not qualify as either a station or section of a station.

(b) Coal-fired power stations brought into production in the last 10 years

Year Stations Sections of stations Output capacity of stations Output capacity of sections Total* new coal capacity Total* new capacity
(M W) (M W) (M W) (M W)
1965/66 1 500 1205 2739
1966/67 1 1 340 100 1401 1952
1967/68 3 1830 3534 3935
1968/69 1 250 3048 3540
1969/70 2 1425 2186 2779
1970/71 1708 3535
1971/72 4 2033 2435 5520
1972/73 1998 2798
1973/74 1520 2052
1974/75 1 1150 1650 1735
* These figures include increases in interim ratings and the introduction of new sets in existing stations.

Mr. George Grant

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what has been the percentage of coal-fired capacity in the power stations in the United Kingdom for each of the last 10 years.

Mr. Eadie

I am informed by the CEGB that the percentage of coal-fired capacity in each of the last ten years was as follows:

Per cent.
1965–66 76.90
1966–67 76.39
1967–68 77.41
1968–69 77.84
1969–70 77.80
1970–71 77.03
1971–72 70.63
1972–73 69.00
1973–74 68.94
1974–75 69.95

Mr. George Grant

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the estimated percentage of coal-fired capacity in United Kingdom power stations for each of the next five years.

Mr. Eadie

I am informed by the CEGB that the estimated percentage of

capacity has been brought into production. The details are as follows:

coal-fired capacity in its system for each of the next five years is as follows:

Per cent.
1975–76 72
1976–77 71
1977–78 69
1978–79 66
1979–80 63

(Note: Dual-fired plant, i.e. coal/gas and coal/oil, is included as coal-fired capacity).

The figure for 1976–77 takes account of the closure of 3419 megawatts of plant agreed at the meeting of the electricity supply industry's National Joint Advisory Council on 16th October 1975. The estimates for this and subsequent years takes into account the commissioning of plant now under constuction.